GPS DeLorme Maps

Hi all and a i hope a Merry Christmas was had by all of you.

My dad has offered me a GPS unit as a Christmas gift. Oh boy! He had a couple Garmin models picked out from the Cabellas catalog but i took a look at the DeLorme website. Man i think DeLorme's is the ticket! They are the kings of maps in my world.
www.delorme.com
Their deluxe package features a GPS unit with a high rez full color screen, the complete DeLorme Atlas for North America on CD / DVD ( which i have always wanted! ), 1 GIG of removable SD memory, the ability to upload not only portions of the provided DeLorme Atlas but also purchase and upload high rez aerial photography, satelite photography, and even my fav... USGS quad maps... for super duper resolution. ( this deluxe package provides $100 worth of uploads beyond the provided DeLorme CD / DVD Atlas ). Thus i can upload the Texas convention sites from the CD / DVD or down load higher rez images for anywhere im heading next year. This would have been pretty nifty when i was struggling through tangled clear cuts hunting my ancestrial homesite in NC last summer as well as all the fish travels we were doing.

This is my first excusion into the world of GPS units. It is an expensive toy and gift but i enjoy studying maps for places of interest and the GPS unit would certainly compliment and enhance that. Not only would i use it in my fish wanders but mushroom hunts and probably some geocaching as well. It also has a built in compass, moon phases and tide charts which i would come in handy down in the Florida panhandle.

I suspect the CD / DVD version 7.0 are equivalent to the Gazateers we are all fond of. ( ? ) As a graphic artist i have the opportunity to modify the provided topo images to insert photos, graphics and notes onto the files for future reference, an enhancement to the scribbling of notes in the corner of my gazeers.

Am i overlooking anything? Have you had experience with this unit or any other unit? Any problems or advice? It sure looks like this unit beats any others hands down.

My desire is to get a second GPS unit for my Dad and customize it with higher rez USGA topos and aerial photos of the areas he likes to deer hunt.

Any thoughts before i move on this purchase?

Thanks...
Casper

Garmin units are the best in terms of hardware. I don't know the Delorme units, though. Certainly having one with a large color screen and lots of detailed map software pre-loaded would be a huge start. My relatively basic Garmin comes with low-res maps, as well as tide and moon information based on your coordinates. Delorme software would seem to be good if it's essentially their map information (with caveats that we've all see).

Overall Rating » Highly Recommended

The Garmin eTrex Vista HCx represents the lightest handheld color mapping GPS unit with true high sensitivity GPS receiver technology. Unlike other units that claim “high sensitivity” receivers, our field and lab testing shows that the Vista HCx outperforms the competition in its ability to get reception in exceptionally difficult areas. It performs well in areas where traditional knowledge was “don’t bother taking a GPS, it won’t work.”

From the Backpacking Light website. Keep in mind the focus for backpacking is light weight.

I'm kinda suprised no one else was interested or had experience with GPS units especially with all the traveling many of us do. Nonetheless i ordered the unit today. While i was asking the fella about some of the features i told him i was a fan of DeLorme and had about 6 or 8 state gazateers. He promptly knocked 75 bucks off the price! I'm pretty sure i will be happy with it. It is state of the art and should equal or surpass a current Garmin unit. I'm trying not to be a Luddite. Thanks Prez Bruce and Martin for your comments.

I'm kinda suprised no one else was interested or had experience with GPS units especially with all the traveling many of us do. Nonetheless i ordered the unit today. While i was asking the fella about some of the features i told him i was a fan of DeLorme and had about 6 or 8 state gazateers. He promptly knocked 75 bucks off the price! I'm pretty sure i will be happy with it. It is state of the art and should equal or surpass a current Garmin unit. I'm trying not to be a Luddite. Thanks Prez Bruce and Martin for your comments.

I use a laptop with Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locater to get me where I need to go. Plus I can check the forum while I'm on the road.

I'm sure you will enjoy your GPS Casper. They all pretty much do the same thing but just different map setups. If you like the Delorme maps, then that one should do you fine.

I have the Magellan eXplorist series, which are made to go outside and somewhat rugged. I take it when collecting and fishing as it fits in most pockets. It is amazing how accurate those things are. I can hit a lot of satellites in the Shenandoah Park which I thought would be the opposite with all the trees but I guess the elevation alleviates that problem.
I purchased the Topo 3D software which allows me to save maps to a SD card for use on the GPS unit. Only downfall I have is it only allows for 64Mb maps, so I have to load a map for each state pretty much.

Let us know what you think of it after some use.

We had the complete DeLorme map set at UT on an external hard drive. Spectacular stuff! We never had the gps units, but I thought it'd be cool to have the ability to use it on a laptop to log field expeditions. I did have an lower model garmin until some dope (me) left it on the roof of the truck to aquire signal, forgot about it, and it flew off the top of my car somewhere near Ft. Pillow State Prison in west TN. Without having used the DeLorme gps I can't really compare them, but the garmin was great and I'm sure they've only improved. The problem with gps units is that they work best at the highest point in the area and we are in the river which is pretty much the lowest point in the area.

I have the Garmin "ETREX VENTURE" and it's had many mechanical issues with the joy stick. If you bang in just right on the dashboard you get incredibly accurate map readings....All kidding aside, when the unit was new it could put you on a specific boulder in a riffle (as long as you bang it just right on the dash board). No maps and a simple unit but gives you excellent longitude and latitude coordinates (as long as you bang it just right on the dash board).

My Wife a few years ago bought me a garmin and I have had zero trouble with it and maximum enjoyment. But with her not knowing anything about the GPS world she bought me the bottom line model what ever that is. Yellow, no maps. just cooridanets and track back and tour setting capabilities. It is a fine and sturdy toy and like I have said I have had zero problems with it.

My wife wanted one also so I bought here the next model up. Kind of nice for traveling. You can punch in next nearest exit or exits and it will show you all the fast food joints and then you can press go to and it will take you there. And of course the maps inside are basic. But for under two hundred I think it is a great little machine.

Never heard of the unit brand name you have mentioned but I feel that with technology that they should be all built to fairly good standards. But I do like to buy the best (when I have the money) and so why not do a search on goodle that compares different models and reviews each one. I would think that would be the best way to go. What I wished I had was a way to set ( or just know how ) to set a cooridant from a spot on Google earth or something like that.

Well good luck with you new adventure. You will love what ever you get they are awesome even the basic one I have. Gives you a speedometor, avearage speed, fastest speed, time you have been driving, your top speed you have driven and of course the slowest is zero unless you can go from Chattanooga to the Everglades without stopping.

One more if your are getting one for your Dad I think you should look at ones that have two way radios that you or he could send cooridnants with the push of a button and head twords each other or simply as a safety for you Dad out hunting.

Even my lowest model has elevation you are at and I am sure more that I am forgetting. You can set waypoints when you get there but i would love to be able to do that ahead of time for finding the place if you are hunting for a certain spot you have been tipped off on.

Well enough said. I only saw this post today so if you already have it I would love to see it and what it can do.
Daniel

A colleague of mine has a Brunton GPS which he thinks is the cat's meow. It has an SD card which can be loaded with topo maps, etc. like the one described above.

Thanks guys...
i know i am on the right path. I think this DeLorme w/ its 1 GIG sd removable chip and the ability to upload aerial photgraphy and usg quads is just the ticket. It has all the features of others, very durable and dang i do like delorme's maps and their attitude.
after a few months of playing w/ it i will do a little posti about my experience w/ it.
i do like burning glass's use of his laptop... which can be an easy addition for me down the road.

which reminds me of the gift i bought my 12 year old girl this christmas.

( ah... my secret alterior motive rises its head! )
when fishheads are camping and all gathered around looking at the days pics via those tiny view screens on digital cameras... awkward. i remember uland's ecstatic babbling but no one could see what his current stimuli was!

i got cerulean a dvd player w/ a 9" screen, 110v, 12v or battery powered. it also can accept several chip styles and usb flash drives. now we can all view our days pics on a "big" screen each evening fireside. and see any video we shot or brought along.
all we need next is a bedsheet and a projector!
we did that years ago w/ a noisy generator at a mushroom camp foray in nc. kinda neat w/ all the moths and dobsin flies fluttering in and out of the light.

dang im eager for spring...
casper

i do like burning glass's use of his laptop... which can be an easy addition for me down the road.


i got cerulean a dvd player w/ a 9" screen, 110v, 12v or battery powered. it also can accept several chip styles and usb flash drives. now we can all view our days pics on a "big" screen each evening fireside. and see any video we shot or brought along.
all we need next is a bedsheet and a projector!

I have a projector I could bring. My laptop plays dvds and has a card reader it saves me from having to have multiple things to break.
Although I bring my backup laptop on the road.


Tom